


Incurable Romantics

by nuricurry



Category: Howl Series - Diana Wynne Jones, Howl's Moving Castle - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, brief inclusion of a child OC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-01
Updated: 2015-09-01
Packaged: 2018-04-18 11:48:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4704947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nuricurry/pseuds/nuricurry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Howl loves his wife very much and tries to make some moves on her with varying degrees of success.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Incurable Romantics

**Author's Note:**

> This work includes a brief interaction with a "Howl and Sophie have a second child" original character. Therefore, a warning in case that isn't your thing.

Somehow, despite his best efforts and much trial and error, the life Howl Jenkins shared with his blossoming witch-wife Sophie and their two children was notably devoid of any semblance of ease and good fortune. Particularly in the fact that Howl Jenkins was seemingly cursed to fail whenever he attempted to engage in some privacy with said witch-wife (how they had managed not only one, but TWO children was somewhat of a mystery to even himself).

If he managed to corner her in the kitchen when the shop was empty, as soon as his hand would press into the small of her back and his lips would hover over hers, there would be a ring from the bell above the shop door and Sophie would elbow him in the ribs and dart away, mumbling about proper behavior and manners. Should he ever find the luck that the children were occupied else where, the moment her fingers tucked his too-long bangs behind his ear, Calcifer would shoot down the chimney with a flurry of soot, leaving them all quite filthy and Sophie incredibly cross.

As it would seem, his life seemed determined to remind him on a near daily basis that he was not allowed nice things without consequence or diligence. It quickly grew terribly old.

"The children are in bed," Sophie informed him as she slipped into their bedroom, pulling pins from her hair as he turned down the covers.

"That's good," he said with a smile, going to the fireplace to fiddle with the coals, giving Sophie her moment of modesty to change. When he heard the bedclothes rustle, he pulled his tunic over his head and tossed it into the laundry basket, before taking his nightshirt off the end of the bed and slipping it on. He pushed stuffed animals and trinkets off his side of the bed, making just enough room for him to slide beneath the covers beside her. He extinguished the lights with a single breath, the room falling into darkness, save for the bit of moonlight that came in through his window to Wales. Sophie had her back to him, and when he laid his hand on her waist, he was relieved to find that she was still awake.

"What..." she began to say, but he shook his head and kissed her quiet. She relaxed against the pillows, turning more fully to slip her fingers into his hair as he placed his hands on either side of her.

But then the baubles and charms above their heads chimed and rang out softly, alerting them that there was a child out of bed. Howl fell dramatically onto the mattress with a whine, pinning Sophie beneath his weight as she shoved and bat at his shoulders.

"Howl!" she said his name in a hiss while she pinched his ear, "Get up!"

"But Sophie," he said pathetically, running his nose along the curve of her neck. She pinched harder, twisted, and he yelped a bit before sitting up. "Stay," he instructed her softly, and he could see a brow raise threateningly in the faint light, and he quickly amended himself, "I'll check on the children."

She nodded, and he slipped off the bed, unlatching the door, and stepping into the hall. There was suddenly a weight attached to his shin, and he sighed as he began the long drag to Alis' bedroom.

"What is it love?" he asked as he shuffled along, the four year old sitting carefully on the top of his foot.

"Daddy," she said, "Morgan told me there were monsters under my bed."

"What have I told you about what your brother says?"

"Unless it's from Mommy, it's a lie."

Howl nodded, "So what are the monsters under your bed?"

"A lie," Alis replied with a squeeze to his calf. "But a scary one."

"Yes, yes," Howl agreed, reaching down to pick the child up, holding her in one arm while his free hand opened her door, "And I will talk to him in the morning." Howl stepped into her room, carrying Alis to her crowded and untidy bed. He settled her comfortably between her stuffed dog and her doll, pulling the covers up and smoothing out wrinkles. "Listen Alis," he said, and looked up, "There is a simple spell for all bedroom monsters. Would you like to hear it?" She nodded her head vigorously, her blonde curls bouncing around her face. Howl laughed, and lowered his voice softly. "When you hear something, or think you see something, just say ' _gad lonydd i fi!_ '."

" _'Gad lonydd i fi'_?" Alis echoed, and he nodded. She smiled, taking a deep breath, but Howl touched her lips to keep her quiet.

"You can't say it too much, otherwise it won't work," he explained, and Alis nodded her understanding. "Now," he smiled, snapping his fingers, a small orb of light popping in the air next to his ear, washing the room in a faint glow, "if I leave this with you, that should help you sleep, right?"

"Of course!" Alis agreed, and Howl took it gently in his hand, before standing and placing it on her dresser.

"Don't touch it," he cautioned her, "Or it'll go out."

"Alright," she replied softly, and he leaned over to press his lips to her forehead.

"Goodnight _cariad_ ," he bid gently, and she turned into her pillows. He left her room, quietly closing the door behind him before returning to his own.

Sophie was where he had left her, though she had fixed the covers and had rearranged the pillows slightly. He latched the door behind himself, before returning to the bed, crawling beneath the covers again.

"Was it Alis?" Sophie asked as he tailed his fingers along her sides. At his nod, she hummed, "I thought as much."

"It's alright now," he assured her, pressing gentle kisses to her throat, "She should sleep soundly."

Sophie made another noise of understanding, while tilting her head slightly to the side. Howl took the opportunity to press his lips to the spot behind her ear, and smiled when he heard Sophie sigh. He moved, his hands going to her hips and mouth moving over hers. He whispered silly things in Welsh to her, telling her how beautiful she was and comparing her to fairy tales. He could feel the laugh trembling in her chest, and he kissed her before it could come out, her lips soft and warm against his. Her fingers rested on his neck and she tipped into the kiss, her lashes fluttering against his cheek as he deepened it.

His hands were not idle, trailing along the shape of her hips and thighs until they played with the hem of her gown. And he moved away just enough to push it up, and Sophie let him, lifting her arms so he could pull it over her head. Even in the dark and beneath the blanket he knew she was lovely, and he told her so, which made her thump his shoulders with loose fists, because she was still a proper lady and he was being a cad. But he only laughed and ran the pads of his fingers over her collarbone.

“I’m telling the truth.”

“Howl,” her voice dropped and he could hear the blush in her tone. But there was a smile there too, and he took that as permission.

He shed his bedclothes as best he could while still keeping close to her, twisting oddly and cursing a bit when an earring got caught on his shirt. However, he was determined, and with Sophie’s help got it loose (had it come down to it, even a ripped lobe wouldn’t have hindered his progress. Because he loved Sophie very much and there had yet to be another incident like the meteor shower that crashed through their roof last time and Howl was going to enjoy this chance).

Then they were looking at each other in the dim light and he could make out the outline of her nose and lips and heard the faint beat of her heart and the steady rhythm of her breath. He whispered Sophie once, and she reached out to him, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him towards her and beneath the blanket. He laughed softly in her ear before kissing her hair, and then his hands were under her back, smoothing over skin.

“ _Cariad_ ,” he said in the dark envelope of the quilt, before covering her lips with his own. Her fingers pressed into his shoulder blades, and they shifted together for her leg to hook over his waist. They pulled apart for air and he nudged her jaw with his nose, questioning, and Sophie nodded. He exhaled before he moved, and he felt her intake of breath as he did. He brushed his lips against her throat, while one hand changed course to cup her breast. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she sought out his kiss. He lifted some of his weight off her and she tilted her head as their lips met, making him groan and shift.

They breathed in rhythm, and he could feel her heartbeat against his hand match his own. When it was over, she thread her fingers in his hair and let him relax against her. Finally he rolled onto his side, pulling her close and fitting her into the curve of his body. His face pressed into her hair, nuzzling, and Sophie didn’t protest. He considered it an accomplishment, and chuckled.

“Howl, it unsettles me when you do that,” she spoke up, voice thick with sleep, “You laughing to yourself, particularly after any...incident, leads me to concern.”

He laughed again, louder, and Sophie wiggled irritably, “Forgive me _cariad_ ,” he apologized softly, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Sophie let out a ‘hrmph’, but relaxed in his embrace, and he squeezed her again, before settling himself into the mattress.


End file.
